Climate action front and center at upcoming Caribbean Media Awards

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) will be sponsoring seven climate change categories at the upcoming NGC 35th CBU Caribbean Media Awards. This sponsorship highlights the increasing emphasis on climate awareness and action in Caribbean media. It marks the second consecutive year of the CCCCC’s lead sponsorship in climate change categories, demonstrating its dedication to promoting climate change education and advocacy through various media platforms.

The CBU awards received an impressive 484 submissions across 63 categories from 34 organizations representing 13 Caribbean countries and territories, showcasing the region’s vibrant and dynamic media industry. The NGC awards gala is scheduled to take place at the Umaya Hotel in Placencia, Belize on August 13, 2024. Dr. Colin Young, Executive Director of the CCCCC, expressed pride in supporting the CBU awards to recognize media excellence in climate change reporting. He emphasized the importance of increasing climate change awareness in the region through media stories.

“The CBU’s solid reputation, strong track record, vast experience in multimedia and their incredible reach across the Caribbean allows the CCCCC to amplify climate change awareness across the region through the stories of media
personnel,” said Young.

In collaboration with the CBU, the CCCCC will host a regional media forum on climate change on August 12 to encourage expanded coverage of climate-related issues. This forum, along with the awards ceremony, aims to acknowledge the vital role of the media in climate reporting. The strong partnership between the two organizations continues to enhance the awards, with the CCCCC being the primary sponsor in the climate change categories.

This year’s awards have seen significant public engagement, with over three thousand online votes cast for the People’s Choice Award nominees, with top performers hailing from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Belize.

CBU President, Dr. Claire Grant, highlighted the inspiring collaboration with CCCCC, emphasizing the importance of media professionals addressing critical themes like climate change.

“The CCCCC’s collaboration with CBU has empowered media professionals to grapple with one of the most important themes of our time. That’s why we are placing the focus on “Media and the Environment” during the 55th Assembly in Belize,” noted Dr. Grant.

The upcoming 55th CBU Assembly in Belize will focus on “Media and the Environment,” building on the partnership’s momentum. The awards ceremony during the Assembly will feature special recognitions, performances, and keynote speeches from industry leaders and climate change advocates, providing attendees with networking opportunities to celebrate the collective achievements of the Caribbean media community.